Witold Bloch

Research Interests

Chemical Characterisation of Materials Functional Materials Inorganic Chemistry Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Nanochemistry and Supramolecular Chemistry Synthesis of Materials

Dr Witold Bloch

School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences

College of Sciences

Dr Witold Bloch is an ARC DECRA fellow at the University of Adelaide, School of Physical Sciences. Dr Bloch is the past recipient of an Alexander von Humboldt post-doctoral fellowship which he carried out in the University of Goettingen and TU Dortmund (Germany). One of his research interests involves the utilisation of metal-organic cages for the development of novel porous nanomaterials. The applications that this research aims to address include gas storage and separation as well as heterogeneous catalysis.

Research interests

Research in my group focuses on developing the synthesis and studying the properties of porous solids composed of molecular cages. Some of the ongoing projects are listed below:

Novel porous materials formed by linking metal-organic cages. The development of new approaches to synthesise porous metal–organic materials is both academically attractive and industrially relevant. Recently, new approaches to prepare hybrid metal–organic materials have begun to emerge. These deviate from traditional one-pot syntheses involving simple metal ion and ligand mixtures; instead focusing on materials formed by linking complex, supramolecular structures. One of these approaches, which aims to generate porosity from the building blocks, rather than their relative arrangement, is based on polymerising porous metal–organic cages (MOCs).

Polymerising metal-organic cages by a covalent deprotection approach

Crystal engineering and self-sorting of metal-organic cage solids. Molecular solids based on cage compounds have recently emerged as an attractive class of porous materials, owing to their solution processability, synthetic versatility and intrinsic porosity. Our recent work has examined the role that solvent plays in determining the crystal-packing and the overall porosity of several solvatomorphic metal-organic cage solids. We have found that these materials possess varying degrees of structural non-rigidity; some solvatomorphs are stable to solvent exchange while others undergo rapid transformations.

Solvent determines crystal packing of Cu4L4 cages and their propensity to undergo transformations

Crystallisation-driven self-sorting of cages from a dynamic combinaotorial library

Aggregation and assembly of PdnL2n coordination cages. Supramoecular self-assembly is widely utilised in biological systems to assemble increasingly advanced multi-functional architectures from smaller subunits. This model is prevalent in multi-enzyme complexes, which are capable of highly-efficient sequential catalytic transformations. My research aims to channel this approach in artificial materials synthesis.

Hierarchical assembly of a Pd8L16 catenane

Cover art

Back cover of ACIE, 2017, 56, 8285Feature article in Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 8506

Date Position Institution name
2019 - ongoing ARC DECRA fellow University of Adelaide
2017 - 2019 Ramsay Research Fellow in Applied Science University of Adelaide
2016 - 2017 Humboldt Post-doctoral Research Fellow Technical University of Dortmund
2015 - 2015 Humboldt Post-doctoral Research Fellow University of Goettingen
2014 - 2015 Post-doctoral research associate University of Adelaide
2014 - 2014 Lecturer Level A University of Adelaide
2013 - 2014 Research associate University of Adelaide

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2019 Award ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2019 University of Adelaide Australia 405 K
2018 Award 2018 Early Career Researcher award: Order Of Merit University of Adelaide Australia -
2017 Fellowship Ramsay Fellowship University of Adelaide Australia -
2015 Fellowship Alexander von Humboldt Post-doctoral Fellowship Georg-August-Universität Göttingen and TU Dortmund Germany -
2014 Recognition Prize for best paper (IPAS) University of Adelaide Australia -
2012 Award Disciplinary seminar award (IPAS) University of Adelaide Australia -
2012 Award Seminar award University of Adelaide Australia -
2010 Award Poster Prize University of Adelaide Australia -

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
German Can speak and understand spoken
Polish Can read, speak and understand spoken

Date Institution name Country Title
2010 - 2014 University of Adelaide Australia PhD (Chemistry)
2009 University of Adelaide Australia Honours (Chemistry)
2008 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Nanoscience and materials)

Year Citation
2025 Nicholls, T. P., Pople, J. M. M., Harvey, M. R., Patel, H. D., Mann, A. K., Tonkin, S. J., . . . Chalker, J. M. (2025). Making and Unmaking Poly(trisulfides) with Light: Precise Regulation of Radical Concentrations via Pulsed LED Irradiation. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 147(50), 16 pages.
DOI
2024 Gimeno-Fonquernie, P., Albalad, J., Price, J. R., Bloch, W. M., Evans, J. D., Doonan, C. J., & Sumby, C. J. (2024). Topological analysis and control of post-synthetic metalation sites in Zr-based metal–organic frameworks. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 12(7), 2267-2648.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2024 Rozenberga, L., Bloch, W., Gillam, T. A., Lancaster, D. G., Skinner, W., Krasowska, M., . . . Beattie, D. A. (2024). Europium metal-organic framework polymer composites with enhanced luminescence and selective ferric ion sensing. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 6(6), 3544-3553.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7
2024 Tsoukatos, S., Maibam, A., Babarao, R., & Bloch, W. M. (2024). Topological control in paddlewheel metal–organic cages via ligand length variation. Chemical Communications, 60(90), 13183-13186.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2024 Virtue, J. I., Tsoukatos, S., Johnston, M. R., & Bloch, W. M. (2024). Halide-triggered assembly and selective bisulfate recognition in a quadruply interlocked coordination cage. Chemical Science, 15(45), 19119-1-19119-7.
DOI Scopus8 WoS9 Europe PMC6
2023 Bloch, W. M., Horiuchi, S., Holstein, J. J., Drechsler, C., Wuttke, A., Hiller, W., . . . Clever, G. H. (2023). Maximized axial helicity in a Pd<sub>2</sub>L<sub>4</sub> cage: inverse guest size-dependent compression and mesocate isomerism. Chemical Science, 14(6), 1524-1531.
DOI Scopus27 WoS29 Europe PMC21
2023 Pople, J. M. M., Nicholls, T. P., Pham, L. N., Bloch, W. M., Lisboa, L. S., Perkins, M. V., . . . Chalker, J. M. (2023). Electrochemical Synthesis of Poly(trisulfides). Journal of the American Chemical Society, 145(21), 11798-11810.
DOI Scopus48 WoS50 Europe PMC16
2022 Birve, A., Patel, H. D., Price, J. R., Bloch, W. M., & Fallon, T. (2022). Guest-dependent isomer convergence of a permanently fluxional coordination cage. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 61(9), e202115468-1-e202115468-6.
DOI Scopus32 WoS30 Europe PMC24
2022 Markwell-Heys, A. W., Roemelt, M., Slattery, A. D., Linder-Patton, O. M., & Bloch, W. M. (2022). Linking metal–organic cages pairwise as a design approach for assembling multivariate crystalline materials. Chemical Science, 13(1), 68-73.
DOI Scopus29 WoS28 Europe PMC14
2022 Rozenberga, L., Skinner, W., Lancaster, D. G., Bloch, W. M., Blencowe, A., Krasowska, M., & Beattie, D. A. (2022). A europium metal–organic framework for dual Fe³⁺ ion and pH sensing. Scientific Reports, 12(1, article no. 11982 1), 11982-1-11982-12.
DOI Scopus24 WoS25 Europe PMC12
2022 Yong, M. T., Linder-Patton, O. M., & Bloch, W. M. (2022). Assembly of a Heterometallic Cu(II)-Pd(II) Cage by Post-assembly Metal Insertion. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, 61(32), 12863-12869.
DOI Scopus16 WoS17 Europe PMC10
2022 Schneider, M. L., Campbell, J. A., Slattery, A. D., & Bloch, W. M. (2022). Polymer networks of imine-crosslinked metal-organic cages: tuneable viscoelasticity and iodine adsorption. Chemical Communications, 58(86), 12122-12125.
DOI Scopus15 WoS15 Europe PMC9
2021 Markwell-Heys, A. W., Schneider, M. L., Madridejos, J. M. L., Metha, G. F., & Bloch, W. M. (2021). Self-sorting of porous Cu₄L₂L′₂ metal–organic cages composed of isomerisable ligands. Chemical Communications, 57(23), 2915-2918.
DOI Scopus28 WoS27 Europe PMC17
2021 Schneider, M. L., Markwell-Heys, A. W., Linder-Patton, O. M., & Bloch, W. M. (2021). Assembly and covalent cross-linking of an amine-functionalised metal-organic cage. Frontiers in Chemistry, 9, 1-9.
DOI Scopus18 WoS22 Europe PMC14
2021 Markwell-Heys, A., Roemelt, M., Slattery, A., Linder-Patton, O., & Bloch, W. (2021). Linking metal-organic cages pairwise as a design approach for assembling multivariate crystalline materials.
DOI
2020 Bloch, W. M., Babarao, R., & Schneider, M. L. (2020). On/off porosity switching and post-assembly modifications of Cu₄L₄ metal–organic polyhedra. Chemical Science, 11(14), 3664-3671.
DOI Scopus44 WoS44 Europe PMC22
2020 Schneider, M. L., Linder-Patton, O. M., & Bloch, W. M. (2020). A covalent deprotection strategy for assembling supramolecular coordination polymers from metal-organic cages. Chemical Communications, 56(85), 12969-12972.
DOI Scopus20 WoS20 Europe PMC11
2019 Bloch, W. M., Doonan, C. J., & Sumby, C. J. (2019). Tuning packing, structural flexibility, and porosity in 2D metal-organic frameworks by metal node choice. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 72(10), 797-804.
DOI Scopus3 WoS4
2019 Huxley, M. T., Young, R. J., Bloch, W. M., Champness, N. R., Sumby, C. J., & Doonan, C. J. (2019). Isomer interconversion studied through single-crystal to single-crystal transformations in a metal-organic framework matrix. Organometallics, 38(18), 3412-3418.
DOI Scopus14 WoS10
2018 Bloch, W., Holstein, J., Dittrich, B., Hiller, W., & Clever, G. (2018). Hierarchical assembly of an interlocked M₈L₁₆ container. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 57(19), 5534-5538.
DOI Scopus68 WoS68 Europe PMC47
2018 Zhu, R., Bloch, W., Holstein, J., Mandal, S., Schäfer, L., & Clever, G. (2018). Donor‐Site‐Directed Rational Assembly of Heteroleptic cis‐[Pd₂L₂L′₂] Coordination Cages from Picolyl Ligands. Chemistry - A European Journal, 24(49), 12976-12982.
DOI Scopus73 WoS73 Europe PMC57
2017 Huxley, M., Coghlan, C., Bloch, W., Burgun, A., Doonan, C., & Sumby, C. (2017). X-ray crystallographic insights into post-synthetic metalation products in a metal-organic framework. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 375(2084), 20160028-1-2016-0028-12.
DOI Scopus12 WoS16 Europe PMC2
2017 Burgun, A., Bloch, W., Doonan, C., & Sumby, C. (2017). Engineering isoreticular 2D metal-organic frameworks with inherent structural flexibility. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 70(5), 566-575.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2017 Bloch, W. M., & Clever, G. H. (2017). Integrative self-sorting of coordination cages based on 'naked' metal ions. CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS, 53(61), 8506-8516.
DOI Scopus179 WoS179 Europe PMC126
2017 Bloch, W. M., Holstein, J. J., Hiller, W., & Clever, G. H. (2017). Morphological Control of Heteroleptic cis- and trans-Pd2L2L2 ' Cages. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION, 56(28), 8285-8289.
DOI Scopus136 WoS136 Europe PMC110
2016 Bloch, W. M., Abe, Y., Holstein, J. J., Wandtke, C. M., Dittrich, B., & Clever, G. H. (2016). Geometric complementarity in assembly and guest recognition of a bent heteroleptic cis-[Pd₂LA₂LB₂] coordination cage. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(41), 13750-13755.
DOI Scopus202 WoS206 Europe PMC147
2016 Linder-Patton, O., Bloch, W., Coghlan, C., Sumida, K., Kitagawa, S., Furukawa, S., . . . Sumby, C. (2016). Particle size effects in the kinetic trapping of a structurally-locked form of a flexible metal-organic framework. CrystEngComm, 18(22), 4172-4179.
DOI Scopus31 WoS32
2015 Bloch, W., Burgun, A., Doonan, C., & Sumby, C. (2015). Probing post-synthetic metallation in metal-organic frameworks: insights from X-ray crystallography. Chemical Communications, 51(25), 5486-5489.
DOI Scopus24 WoS26 Europe PMC13
2015 Bloch, W., & Sumby, C. (2015). Probing solid-state breathing and structural transformations in a series of silver(I) porous coordination polymers. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2015(22), 3723-3729.
DOI Scopus10 WoS11
2015 Bloch, W., Champness, N., & Doonan, C. (2015). X-ray crystallography in open-framework materials. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 54(44), 12860-12867.
DOI Scopus79 WoS78 Europe PMC45
2015 Bloch, W., & Sumby, C. (2015). Silver(I) coordination polymers of the ‘hinged’ pyrazine containing ligand di-2-pyrazinylmethane. Supramolecular Chemistry, 27(11-12), 807-819.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3
2014 Babarao, R., Coghlan, C., Rankine, D., Bloch, W., Gransbury, G., Sato, H., . . . Doonan, C. (2014). Does functionalisation enhance CO₂ uptake in interpenetrated MOFs? An examination of the IRMOF-9 series. Chemical Communications, 50(24), 3238-3241.
DOI Scopus63 WoS59 Europe PMC20
2014 Bloch, W. M., Burgun, A., Coghlan, C. J., Lee, R., Coote, M. L., Doonan, C. J., & Sumby, C. J. (2014). Capturing snapshots of post-synthetic metallation chemistry in metal-organic frameworks. Nature Chemistry, 6(10), 906-912.
DOI Scopus186 WoS186 Europe PMC97
2013 Bloch, W., Doonan, C., & Sumby, C. (2013). Using hinged ligands to target structurally flexible copper(II) MOFs. Crystengcomm, 15(45), 9663-9671.
DOI Scopus32 WoS32
2013 Bloch, W., Babarao, R., Hill, M., Doonan, C., & Sumby, C. (2013). Post-synthetic structural processing in a metal-organic framework material as a mechanism for exceptional CO₂/N₂ selectivity. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135(28), 10441-10448.
DOI Scopus183 WoS169 Europe PMC70
2012 Kuan, K., Pepper, H., Bloch, W., & George, J. (2012). Total synthesis of (+)-aureol. Organic Letters, 14(18), 4710-4713.
DOI Scopus37 WoS36 Europe PMC24
2012 Pepper, H., Lam, H., Bloch, W., & George, J. (2012). Biomimetic total synthesis of (±)-garcibracteatone. Organic Letters, 14(19), 5162-5164.
DOI Scopus66 WoS62 Europe PMC39
2012 Bloch, W., & Sumby, C. (2012). Guest-induced crystal-to-crystal expansion and contraction of a 3-D porous coordination polymer. Chemical Communications, 48(19), 2534-2536.
DOI Scopus47 WoS47 Europe PMC16
2011 Bloch, W., Derwent - Smith, S., Issa, F., Morris, J., Rendina, L., & Sumby, C. (2011). Fused pyrazino [2,3-b]indolizine and indolizino[2,3-b]quioxaline derivatives; synthesis, structures and properties. Tetrahedron, 67(48), 9368-9375.
DOI Scopus40 WoS39
- Total Synthesis (±)-Garcibracteatone (2012). Synfacts, 9(01), 0001.
DOI

Year Citation
2025 Andersson, C., Mudiyanselage, S., Peeks, M., Kruger, A., Virtue, J., Mann, M., . . . Bloch, W. (2025). Efficient removal of short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances by cavity-directed aggregation in a molecular cage host.
DOI
2025 Andersson, C., Mudiyanselage, S., Peeks, M., Kroeger, A., Virtue, J., Mann, M., . . . Bloch, W. (2025). Efficient removal of short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances by cavity-directed aggregation in a molecular cage host.
DOI
Research funding

2015 - 2017 Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for post-doctoral researchers (University of Goettingen and TU Dortmund, Germany)

Project summary: Many functional macromolecules in nature (e.g. enzymes) are multi-component assemblies with an intricate and defined active site. This work focused on increasing the structural complexity of artificial nano-cage receptors, which are commonly simple and symmetrical structures with limited functionality.  A new methodology was developed which facilitated the assembly of advanced nano-cage compounds composed of two different but complementary ligands. This approach made it possible, for the first time, to ‘stitch’ together two different functionalities in a single self-assembled cage, without the need of a guest template. This approach was utilised to prepare a variety of mixed-ligand cages including one example in which the cage’s uniquely-shaped cavity facilitated shape recognition of stereoisomeric guests. These findings provide significant insights into the synthesis and structure of discrete metal-organic cages and serve as a platform for the design of more complex and sophisticated artificial receptors.

2017 - 2021 Ramsay Research Fellowship (University of Adelaide) 

Project summary: Many pharmaceutical compounds are currently synthesised through multi-step processes that use multiple homogeneous catalysts, resulting in a high level of waste production. This project aims to develop novel porous materials for heterogeneous tandem catalysis by linking nano-cage units into an ordered framework material. The ability of such a material to catalyse chemical reactions in tandem is expected to significantly reduce both the cost and waste associated with industrial chemical syntheses.

Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2019: Linking Supramolecular Nanocages into Multi-functional Materials (University of Adelaide) 

This project aims to advance the complexity of metal-organic materials by ordering discrete nano-cage structures called "metal-organic polyhedra" in a multi-functional porous solid. The project expects to generate critical knowledge in the synthesis of high-performance materials by combining the advantages of metal-organic and dynamic covalent chemistry. The expected outcomes of the project include the development of materials that are able to sequentially catalyse chemical reactions in a single-batch process. This project should deliver benefits for Australia’s emerging chemical manufacturing industry, such as a reduction in the cost, wastage and environmental impact of the chemical manufacturing industry.

Semester 1: Foundation of Chemistry IA (FoC): Module 3: Equilibrium

Semester 2: Synthesis of Materials III (SoM): Module 3: Supramolecular Chemistry  

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor Synthesis and application of substituted bullvalenes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Andre Pierson Birve
2022 Co-Supervisor Crystal Engineering of Novel Pyrazole Functionalised Porous Crystalline Materials Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mei Tieng Yong
2022 Co-Supervisor Crystal Engineering of Novel Pyrazole Functionalised Porous Crystalline Materials Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mei Tieng Yong
2021 Co-Supervisor Synthesis and application of substituted bullvalenes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Andre Pierson Birve

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2021 - 2023 Co-Supervisor METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS AS SUPPORTS FOR METAL COMPLEXES Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Josephine Frances Smernik
2019 - 2025 Co-Supervisor Synthesis and Polymerisation of Amine Functionalised Metal-organic Cages Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Matthew Luke Schneider

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2018 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Towards the Sequential Self-assembly of Amine Functionalised Metal-organic Polyhedra University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Matthew Schneider

Date Topic Location Name
2018 - 2018 Hierarchical assembly of coordination structures (PPR2) University of Adelaide Steven Tsoukatos

Date Role Membership Country
2018 - ongoing Member Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand (SCANZ) Australia
2018 - ongoing Member Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows (AAVHF) Australia
2017 - ongoing Member MRACI CChem Australia
2017 - ongoing Member Royal Society of Chemistry Australia

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2018 - ongoing Design and serendipity in the assembly of coordination cages - University of South Australia (Mawson Lakes campus) Australia
2018 - ongoing Controlling the assembly of heteroleptic coordination cages and higher-order aggregates - Sendai International Centre Japan
2018 - ongoing Controlling self-sorting phenomena in metallosupramolecular cage structures - The University of Queensland -
2018 - ongoing Coordination cages based on Pd(II): controlling catenation, aggregation and heteroleptic self-assembly - The University of Melbourne -
2018 - ongoing Self-sorting phenomena in heteroleptic coordination cages - Monash University Australia

Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links